Re-accommodated persons: protection of right to buy
158.The amendment made by section 140 to section 61 of the 1987 Act ensures that, under the circumstances provided for, the right to buy entitlements of tenants who are re-accommodated by their landlord and experience a break in occupation as a result are protected for all social housing let under a Scottish secure tenancy.
159.Paragraph (a) adds an additional two circumstances to those already included within section 61(2)(c) of the 1987 Act in order to ensure that a tenant who is accommodated by such landlords under the circumstances provided for (see sub-paragraph (c)), is not deemed to have incurred a break in continuous occupation.
160.The effect of paragraph (b) is to ensure that breaks in occupation of a tenancy resulting from the circumstances provided for should be disregarded for the purposes of determining the period of occupation. That is, any period beginning with the termination of a tenancy in terms of section 18(2), 20(3) or 22(3) of the 2001 Act, and ending with the person being re-accommodated in pursuance of sections 19(3)(b), 21(3)(b) or 22(6) of the 2001 Act should be disregarded.
161.Paragraph (c) adds an additional two categories of person providing accommodation referred to in section 61(2)(c) (occupation requirement for exercise of right to purchase) to the list of landlords included in section 61(11) of the 1987 Act. The category in new section 61(11)(ab) includes those persons who provide accommodation to a tenant in instances where the tenant is required to move by their landlord under the circumstances provided for. The category in new section 61(11)(ac) includes those persons who provide accommodation to a tenant in instances where the tenant’s existing house is to be demolished and the tenant agrees to move at their landlord’s request.
